Fp328

Moisture, intramuscular fat (IMF) and protein concentration of the LT muscle were determined using the SMART System 5 microwave moisture drying oven, NMR SMART Trac rapid fat analyser (CEM Corporation, Matthews, NC, USA) and LECO FP328 (LECO Corporation, Joseph, MI, USA) protein analyser, respectively [12 ]. Ash was determined by incinerating samples in a furnace (540 °C overnight). Collagen content was determined by quantitative determination of hydroxyproline by a colorimetric reaction [13 ]. Sensory analysis was conducted at the University of Bristol using a 10-person trained taste panel who had been selected for their sensory acuity using the methods outlined in BSI [14 ]. Panellists tasted the samples from every animal in an order based on the designs outlined in [15 (link)] for balancing carryover effects between samples. The panellists assessed each steak using 0–100 mm unstructured intensity line scales for a consensually agreed texture profile, where 0 = nil and 100 = extreme, and 8 point category scales for tenderness (1 = extremely tough to 8 = extremely tender), juiciness (1 = extremely dry to 8 = extremely juicy), beefy flavour and abnormal beef flavour intensities (1 = extremely weak to 8 = extremely strong). A detailed description of the compositional, collagen and sensory analyses methods is given in [4 (link)].